Cross Country
by GabrielsDoubt
Summary: Rogue's trip from Mississippi to Alberta hits a few snags along the way. Let's just say not everyone understands the meaning of "don't touch". Based on a friend's experience hitchhiking. I am toying with chapter order quite a bit here, so be forewarned.
1. Leaving Caldcott

Leaving Cadcott

"But mamma, I didn't mean to hurt 'im." Marie begged, looking up into Mrs. D'Acanto's eyes. Mrs. D'acanto turned away from Marie, blowing past her husband into kitchen and slammed the door.

"You better be gone by tomorrow morning, _mutant_, or God help me I will rid this earth of you." With that, Mr. D'acanto followed his wife into the kitchen, leaving Marie standing in the living room. With tear-filled eyes she fled up the stairs and into her bedroom.

--Later that night--

Marie woke up to the sound of her parents, _no, they aren't my parents anymore_, them fighting.

"John, how can we just kick her out? She is our flesh and blood! She's only 15, where is she gonna go?" her mother cried. Marie's breath caught in her throat; did she actually care?

"Nancy that abomination is no child of mine!" John practically yells, "Maybe she isn't even mine at all; who knows who you may have whored around with before." A loud slap resonates from their bedroom, followed by a door slam. Marie hears her mom sobbing. Suddenly, a deafening trio of knocks hits her door. _Shit shit shit_

"Wake up you piece of shit and open this door before I break it open." Marie scrambles to her closet doors, throwing them open and grabbing her overnight bag. _Thank god I never got around to unpacking after Erin's sleepover_. She throws open her dresser, hurrying as the knocking gets louder and suddenly stops. Tossing all the underwear she has into the duffel, she reaches for the gloves she wears during the winter, deciding these too may be handy.

Her door suddenly slams open as John falls into the room, red in the face from rage. Pointing his finger at her, he creeps towards Marie. "You, you filthy Godless wench." Marie stumbles back towards her bed, trying to evade him and make her way to her door.

John reaches out and grabs her sleeve-covered arm, meaning to pull her to him, but accidently catches her wrist. His eyes roll back into his head and he falls, but his grip on Marie is too strong for her to break it.

"NOOOO. Let go of me, please let go of me" Marie cries and wrenches her arm, trying to break out of her dad's grip. Finally his hand falls limp and Marie falls backwards onto her bed.

_YOU FUCKING MUTANT. YOU DID THIS ON PURPOSE. Just wait until I wake up, I'm going to kill you you freak!_ Marie holds her head in agony as her father's psyche screams in her mind, oblivious to all else. With all her might, Marie forces her thoughts to the fore-front of her mind, willing John's voice down to a tolerable level. She looks up to see her mom in tears, rapidly glancing towards John, on the floor, and Marie on the bed.

"Mamma?" Marie timidly asks, afraid of what, she doesn't quite know.

Snapped out of her trance, Nancy stares at Marie hard. "It would be for the best if you were gone before he wakes up." Marie watches as tears fill her eyes as her mom storms out of the room. Grabbing her bag, Marie reaches under her bed and grabs her stash of birthday money and allowances she had been saving for her trip to Alaska. _I guess its starting sooner than I expected_.

Stepping over John, Marie walks out of her room, then her house, and trudges towards the interstate, with only one thing one her mind. _This fucking sucks_.

A/N: Sorry for the updates which have been and may continue to be few and far between. I had abandoned writing for a while because of a coursework overload, but plan to add a few more chapters to this story because so many **Reviewers** asked me to continue (hint hint).


	2. Encounter in Iowa

Ch. 1

It was cold. Icy, wet, bitterly cold. In the middle of nowhere, USA, she mentally sighed, missing the gentle warmth of the South.

_Jesus, Marie, of all places to end up_, the Cody in her head wined, _you should just go back home_

_Yeah right, back to my daddy's KKK buddies right, and let's not forget your family's pending lawsuit _Rogue mentally sighed.

"Hey there pretty lady, looking for a ride?" The burly looking man was leaning out of the window looking down on her. He had a familiar glint in his eye that Rogue tried ha rot ignore as she considered her choices.

This one obviously wanted some kind of _payment_ for giving her a ride. She'd been able to get by so far with handjobs, but that last driver /shivers\ he took it too far and got hurt.

_You slimy little bitch. You didn't tell me you were a filthy mutie. I could have planned around that._ Horrific images ran through Rogue's mind. She winced, throwing up what good, happy memories she had to the forefront, trying to ignore her latest victim's antics.

"Sure, I'm tryin' ta get te 'laska. Which way're ya goin'?" Rogue mustered up her best smile as the man leered down at her.

"Oh I can get you close enough. Climb on in."

Mustering up all her strength, Rogue ran around the front of the rig, threw her bag in, and stepped inside.


	3. Encounter in Iowa: 2

The driver, his name was Bill, pulled back onto thee interstate before looking over Rogue one more time. "So your name's Rogue, huh? How old are you anyway?"

Rogue gave him an innocent smile as she replied "I'm eighteen. I'm takin' a senior trip a'fore I go ta college next fall."

Bill looked at her with a questioning expression, and Rogue realized why her response seemed strange. It was early spring for christssakes; she should still be in school. _Would still be in school, if I hadn't-_

"Well then girl," Bill broke her out of her reverie, "I guess you wanted to get some experience in the real world before you went back to your prissy college boys, huh?"

Rogue slowly turned to face Bill as his eyes moved up and down her torso appreciatively. He just didn't let up did he?

"I guess ya could say that. So tell me Bill, do you have any family?" It was a shot in the dark, but hopefully it could keep the conversation out of the gutter for a little longer.

Bill's face looked stern for a second, then said with a sneer "Yah, you could say that. My ex-wife gave me a few cubs, but they are all with her family now. I just pay their bills."

"Oh" Rogue whispered, not knowing what to say. After letting the awkward silence reign a little while longer, she hit the power on his stereo, "Up for some tunes, Bill?"

A grand _hmph_ was all she got in response, so she started flipping through the stations. Being in the middle of nowhere, Rogue found she had few choices: religious, country, or talkshow. Deciding Bill didn't exactly sound like he was into gospel or talkshow, she settled on country.

** Her lips are sweet as cotton candy  
Warmer than all forgotten why (??)  
Softer than silk, soaked in satin  
But the best part of it all  
Is she's all mine!**

**Thats what I love about my baby  
Thats what my baby means to me  
Thats what I love about my baby  
She means the world to me  
Yeah!**

As the song continued, Rogue dared to catch a glimpse at Bill, and immediately regretted the move. His eyes bored a hole into her skin, making her feel naked and vulnerable under his watch. He noticed her glance, and sneered at her. "Oh pretty girl, I bet your lips are sweeter than cotton candy. When we stop how about you give me a taste?"

Shocked, Rogue's eyes widened and her jaw dropped a little, but only briefly. Recovering, she plastered a fake smile across her lips and replied, "Bill ya best not be makin' mah promises ya ain't plannin on keepin'."

His face went serious for a moment, as though pondering her response. _Oh shit _Rogue thought _now he thinks somethings up._

"Well now, I've got myself a little adverturer don't I? You really **do** want to catch some action before college." Bill reached behind him, fishing out a Ziploc bag filled with what looked like tree bark. "You may want to eat, baby, you'll need some energy for when we stop," and with that, he returned his eyes to the road.

On the outside, Rogue smiled and thanked Bill, but on the inside she cringed. _Mon dieu, what have I done?_


	4. Encounter in Iowa: 3

Back in Iowa:

Encounter in Iowa 3:

The truck finally pulled into a stop – one of those in the middle of nowhere truck stops that has more diesel pumps than gas pumps and reeks of grease and sweat. With another leer at her, Bill opens his door and announces, "Well honey, let's get some fuel before we decide to enjoy the night together," and hops out, slamming his door shut.

Furrowing her eyebrows together, Rogue takes a few deep breathes. _Well shit, now what do I do? __**Follow him in; you asked for this you spawn**__. Shut the fuck up John. _Rogue inadvertently snarls, then falls out of her seat and barely catches herself before hitting the cement. _What the F.._

"Do you wanna go eat or just get started now, Darlin'?" Bill asks her, not even offering her a hand up to help steady her. Rogue almost glares at him, but a voice reminds her that she is depending on his hospitality at the moment, regardless of how tainted it may be, and she instead smiles oh-too-sweetly at him. "Why don' we go ahead and chow down then, Billy," she states as she saunters towards the whitewashed doors of the eatery on site, trying to hide that she has to swallow the bile rising in her throat.

Bill wraps his arm around her hips and squeezes her butt in his hand. He whispers in her ear, "Pet names for me? You better make sure to scream the right name when you holler for me tonight." Rogue tries her best not to shudder at the disgusting feel of his hot, sweaty breathe over her earlobe. _Just get dinner out of him and leave. Come on Rogue-y, you got it in you._ In the interest of getting real food on her stomach for the first time in weeks, she ignores her instincts to run and follows Bill to a table.

The air is thick with smoke and the food is shit, but Bill pays without a second thought, and Rogue gobbles up every morsel hungrily, tempted to ask for seconds. _Don't push your luck; you remember where that got you with me, don't you mutie!_ Rogue stares down at her empty plate, realizing what comes next is not going to be pleasant at all.

"Let's go girl, I'm ready to go," Bill grabs her arm and hauls her out of the booth, suddenly a little more forceful than he was before. Following mutely, almost in a daze, Rogue doesn't realize what Bill is doing until its too late. _**Not Again!**_She tries to turn her head away from Bill before he kisses her, but he grabs her face with his unprotected hand and moans loudly before slumping over, his hand releasing her as they both fall down, him unconscious and her straining to keep her mind in check. _No, not here. Marie don't let go_.

"I can't, I can't hold 'em back" she whispers, before passing out on top of Bill.


End file.
